The Fishtank
by FlamingDranzer
Summary: Children are fascinated by the most simple of things. In this case, a bunch of little fish. But, Cloud was willing to do whatever it would take to make them happy. Slight Cloti


**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters.**

**Warning: Stupidity via Marlene and crazy children.**

**Author's Note: I started this in Creative Writing. We were watching a movie, and the lights were off. So I moved next to the fishtank. Written in memory of Spotty and Kau, who died after my teacher officially named them Cesar and Brutus.**

**The Fishtank**

The piece of cloth glided back and forth over the wooden countertop. She was not in a hurry to get home. After a long day at work, she never was. After all, the only thing she needed to do was pass through the doorway, and that was but a few steps away. She had closed the 7th Heaven early that day. What stroke her as peculiar was the fact that Cloud had made the request. When she questioned him, he had simply replied, "It's a surprise." The recollection of the phone call made her heart flutter in excitement.

She had just managed to collapse on what she had dubbed "the comfy couch." She sighed, content, and relaxed her aching muscles. Her job wasn't tiring, no, but keeping her family happy and healthy was taxing both emotionally and physically. There was always some chores to finish, some checkbooks to balance, bills to pay... But, that was life. She had come to deal with it. However, she was unsure whether or not Cloud had come to terms with his new life.

"Tifa!" shouted a little girl. The owner of the voice seemed to fly down the stairs, judging by how fast she was going.

"Marlene?" asked Tifa. "Is something wrong?"

Marlene shook her head, but there was something troubling in her hazel eyes. "When's Cloud gonna be here?"

"Soon," was the simple reply. Cloud's words echoed in her mind. _Keep the children busy_. "Why don't you and Denzel help me tidy up the bar?"

"Okay!" the upbeat Marlene replied. She hastily ran up the stairs, and by the sounds of it, threw Denzel down them. Tifa sighed and stifled a laugh as she sat up to retrieve a mop, a bucket, and the rest of her cleaning supplies. _The kids will be excited_, Tifa thought. _Good thing we got the water ready in advance._

A few moments later, she found herself in the bar with Denzel and Marlene standing before her. "Who wants to mop?"

Denzel stepped forward eagerly. He'd rather be doing that, he once told her, because at least he'd be able to touch the dropped food and garbage with a stick a few feet long! Tifa had to agree, touching food that had probably been in someone else's _mouth_ certainly wasn't something to grin about.

"You and me can clean the tables, then," Tifa told Marlene. "Half-and-half?"

"Sure!" the girl chirped. Honestly, the bar was nearly spotless to begin with. But, Cloud would be arriving shortly, and he needed all the time he could afford to set up his secret surprise.

Marlene had just finished a few tables when Tifa heard the opening and closing of a door. She quickly diverted Denzel and Marlene's attention with some small talk.

There was a slight thud and the splashing of water. It always surprised her how fast he could work when under pressure.

Then she heard tiny splashes. The children now talked to each other, and Tifa sneaked away without their knowledge. Cloud made the O.K. symbol with his fingers, a cue he had told Tifa about over the phone.

"Oh! Welcome home, Cloud!" Tifa grinned, trying to sound as real as possible.

"Cloud's home?" Denzel.

"Cloud!" Marlene.

The children's remarks were exclaimed simultaneously.

"Hi, Cloud!" chirped Denzel, grinning from ear-to-ear. His gaze focused to a glass rectangle almost immediately. Marlene came in behind him, smiling, and she found herself mesmerized by the same object.

Simply put, it was a rectangle filled with water. Purple and blue gravel lined the bottom, the roots of plants snug between them. The green leaves made gentle motions, as though there was an underwater breeze. There was a castle to the right, a fallen pillar to the left. But the miniature city was not without its inhabitants.

Amidst the neon lights and bright colors swam several species of fish. There were at least two of each, though. Was Cloud planning on making them procreate? Regardless, two slimy creatures managed to capture the children's attention.

"Cloud, what type of fish are those?" Denzel asked curiously.

Unprepared for the question, Cloud quickly reached into the back pocket of his pants and pulled out pieces of paper. "...Dalmatian salfin mollies," Cloud replied after glancing at the paper. The only types of fish he knew were the ones he ate, usually salmon and tuna.

Never anchovies. Yuffie liked them more than anyone could believe.

"I call this one!" cried Denzel.

"No fair!" Marlene pouted. "You can't even tell them apart."

"Yes, you can! This one's name is Kau," he stated.

"Fine. Then my fish's name is Spotty."

The two children began chatting about their new pets excitedly. Cloud and Tifa used the moment to sneak into the kitchen.

Cloud leaned against the counter, observing Tifa with curious eyes. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. His lips suddenly felt a bit different, a bit wetter than they had before.

"I'm glad the kids like it," Tifa said. She smiled at him, lifting the burdens of his soul, whatever little he had left. "Now we don't have to get a dog."

"How do fish equal a dog?"

"Well... we already have a pet dog," Tifa shrugged. "Sorry, a pet wolf."

Behind his pout, he was hiding a wolfish grin. "_Hey_."

"Fine, a pet poodle," she laughed.

"I am _not_ a poodle. Barret is. He..." Cloud took a moment to search for his words, "has hair like one!"

"First a bear wearing a marshmallow, now a poodle. You should be glad he isn't here to hear it," Tifa said between giggles. "He'd be cursing up to high heaven."

Their lips met again, and Tifa allowed her head to rest on Cloud's chest. The action was short-lived, thanks to the frantic yelling of Marlene.

"Cloud! There's something wrong with the fish!" she shouted.

"What is it?" Cloud asked.

"It's pooping out babies!"

* * *

**Author's Note: My spellchecker kept insisting that they were Dalmation **_**Stalin**_** mollies. It keeps asking me to correct Denzel to "dense," so... yeah.**


End file.
